Session
Session 6: Science Mission Payloads 1
Abstract
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is undertaking a strategy to lessen the potential impact of the loss of low-Earth orbit satellite observations, which are central to NOAA’s weather forecast capability. This strategy leverages mature CubeSat technology funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and purchases commercially available CubeSat-based radio occultation data. In 2017 NOAA may begin development of the Earth Observing Nanosatellite – Microwave (EON-MW). EON-MW is a miniature microwave sounder that approximates the atmospheric profiling capabilities of the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument on the NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). NOAA is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) on EON-MW. NOAA is also looking to reduce the impact of a loss of data from the infrared sounder on JPSS with a CubeSat-based infrared sounder. NOAA is collaborating with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to design the Earth Observing Nanosatellite-Infrared (EON-IR). NOAA is seeking to quantify the value of these CubeSat-based observations by performing observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). Both the technology development and OSSEs will help NOAA build a more cost-effective future satellite observing system that incorporates a faster infusion of new technology.
Presentation
NOAA's CubeSat-Related Activities for Gap Mitigation and Future Planning
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is undertaking a strategy to lessen the potential impact of the loss of low-Earth orbit satellite observations, which are central to NOAA’s weather forecast capability. This strategy leverages mature CubeSat technology funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and purchases commercially available CubeSat-based radio occultation data. In 2017 NOAA may begin development of the Earth Observing Nanosatellite – Microwave (EON-MW). EON-MW is a miniature microwave sounder that approximates the atmospheric profiling capabilities of the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument on the NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). NOAA is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) on EON-MW. NOAA is also looking to reduce the impact of a loss of data from the infrared sounder on JPSS with a CubeSat-based infrared sounder. NOAA is collaborating with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to design the Earth Observing Nanosatellite-Infrared (EON-IR). NOAA is seeking to quantify the value of these CubeSat-based observations by performing observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). Both the technology development and OSSEs will help NOAA build a more cost-effective future satellite observing system that incorporates a faster infusion of new technology.
